APRIL IN TALLADEGA
April 12th & 13th, 2024
A Pilgrimage Tour of Historic Homes
April in Talladega exists to showcase our city's rich history and the architecture unique to our three National Historic Districts. All proceeds are used for historic preservation purposes. These monies have been used for restoration of the Ritz Theater facade and sign, improvement of facades of the Ritz's adjacent buildings, enhancements to the Chamber of Commerce building, restoration and exhibits at Heritage Hall, improvements to the Hall of Heroes, tree planting projects in the historic district, home owner grants programs, and improvements to Palmer Place.
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There are few places that have the history that we have here in Talladega, from the founding of our town with the history of the Creek Indians and Andrew Jackson, to its plantation antebellum days, to the founding of Talladega College by former slaves, to its fame with the Chautaqua Performing Arts time at the turn of the century and the hub that Talladega was for the state of Alabama as 22 trains a day came through town. We have much to show off, talk about, and of which to be proud!
Tickets can be purchased online or in person at:
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Ritz Theatre
Heritage Hall
Greater Talladega/Lincoln Area Chamber of Commerce
2024 Detailed Schedule of Events
2024 Pilgrimage Schedule
FRIDAY, APRIL 12th
10am - 5pm Tour of Homes & Churches
Other venues open during Tour Hours (free):
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10 am – 3pm Dr. William R. Harvey Museum of Art at Talladega College
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10 am – 4pm Heritage Hall Museum - Exhibit “People and Places: Permanent Collection Selections”
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10 am – 4pm Hall of Heroes Museum
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4pm Talladega Main Street presents Big Springs Monument & Revitalization Celebration
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5pm – 7pm Wine & Cheese Party at Heritage Hall Museum ($10 donation at the door)
SATURDAY, APRIL 13th
10am - 5pm Tour of Homes & Churches
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Other venues open during Tour Hours (free):
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10 am – 3pm Dr. William R. Harvey Museum of Art at Talladega College
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10 am – 4pm Heritage Hall Museum - Exhibit “People and Places: Permanent Collection Selections”
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10 am – 4pm Hall of Heroes Museum
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10am - 4pm Art on the Lawn, Heritage Hall Museum
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Live Painting, Artisan Demonstrations, Hand-Made Woodwork, Pottery, Jewelry, Bake Sales
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Live Music by Julie Moon & The Bluegrass Connection
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1pm – 5pm Family Block Party on the Historic Talladega Courthouse Square
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FREE KidZone with Bounce Houses and Slides • Live Music DJ, Food Trucks and Booths, Vendors, Arts and Crafts – FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!
Embry Home, c. 1900
402 North St East
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Join us this weekend and tour this beautiful home! Tickets $20 available at the Chamber of Commerce, Ritz Theatre, Heritage Hall Museum, and online at aprilintalladega.org
Wren Home, c. 1890
401 East St South
The Wren Home, c. 1890 is under renovation by Melissa McEwen & Greg Walton. The Wren House features 6 main receiving rooms, 3 bedrooms, three bathrooms and a finished attic space featuring a grand three level staircase and pitched roofline, that creates a magical space. Melissa is using this area to create a place for his and her dressing room (Victorian homes do not have closets-people didn’t possess as many clothes and shoes and accessories as they do today so they weren’t necessary. Those type items were stored in armoires).
The Wren House displays beauty and craftsmanship in its ornamented spire, ornate chimneys and unusual arched stained glass triple-windows.
The Dr. E.B. Wren House was designed by noted architect Frank Lockwood and built by Robert S. West between 1894 and 1903. Dr. Wren had come from Shelby County to practice medicine in Talladega. He became very influential in local politics and contributed much in the way of good leadership. He was a member of the Board of Deacons of the First Presbyterian Church of Talladega.
The Wren House boasts intricate wood paneling and trim, stately stained glass windows, large staircases, hardwood floors, and ornate tile fireplaces. The floor plan features many smaller rooms, each designated for specific purposes such as formal and informal entertaining, including two rooms in the home dedicated at one time for receiving and examining patients by Dr. Wren.
Dogwood, c. 1905
404 South Street, East
This Neo-Classical Revival mansion was commissioned by local banker “Poley” Reynolds to replicate on a smaller scale another Reynolds home, “Mount Ida.” In 1939 the house was adapted from Neo-Classical to Colonial and after “Mount Ida” burned in the 1950s, wood from an outbuilding was used to build a den addition, making it the “oldest room in the house.” Join us on April 12-13 and tour this beautiful home.
A PUBLIC POSSESSION...
"The past is not the property of historians; it is a public possession. It belongs to anyone who is aware of it, and it grows by being shared."
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--William Murtagh, first Keeper of the National Register for Historic Places